Protective weapon for attack aircraft

ABSTRACT

A weapon for attack aircraft. The weapon has an omni-directional launch capability. The weapon is lenticular shaped with a warhead in the center. The weapon is controlled by an electronic seeker and is propelled by a rocket motor with a two dimensional truncated spike nozzle. The propellant tank is pressurized by a boot strap mono-propellant gas generator. Control at launch is provided by flexible expandable panels which establish initial aerodynamic stability.

United States Ratent [191 Dettling et a1.

[11] 3,827,656 1 Aug. 6,1974

PROTECTIVE WEAPON FOR ATTACK AIRCRAFT Inventors: Ronald F. Dettling; John E. Bush;

Thomas R. Zulkowski, all of China Lake, Calif.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

Filed: Jan. 6, 1972 Appl. No.: 215,928

Assignee:

US. Cl. 244/3.l6 Int. Cl. F42b 15/02 Field of Search 244/3.1 1, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 244/3.15, 3.16, 3.21, 3.22, 44, 12 R, 12 A,

12 13,12 C, 12 D, 23 R, 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 23

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Rae 244/3.ll

3,136,501 6/1964 Barber 244/44 3,216,674 11/1965 McLean 3,332,243 7/1967 Wilson 3,599,902 8/1971 Thomley 244/12 C 3,646,888 3/1972 Posson 89/1 R Primary Examiner-Verlin R. Pendegrass Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; Roy Miller; R. F. Beers 5 7 ABSTRACT A weapon for attack aircraft. The weapon has an omni-directional launch capability. The weapon is lenticular shaped with a warhead in the center. The weapon is controlled by an electronic seeker and is propelled by a rocket motor with a two dimensional truncated spike nozzle. The propellant tank is pressurized by a boot strap mono-propellant gas generator. Control at launch is provided by flexible expandable panels which establish initial aerodynamic stability.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDauc 6 1914 I I 3E2? 856 sum 2 OF 2 PROTECTIVE WEAPON FOR ATTACK AIRCRAFT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to protective weapons for attack aircraft.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past machine guns, fixed cannons, and foward firing missiles and rockets have been used as protective weapons for attack aircraft. None of these weapons provide an omni-directional launch capability as does the present invention. This omni-directional launch capability allows a pilot to launch a weapon in any direction without manuevering his aircraft. This also allows the seeker in the weapon to be locked onto target before launch. This eliminates the need for a wide angle seeker.

The invention also features expandable panels to achieve shape alterations of the weapon for the purpose of providing initial aerodynamic stability. In the past, an omni-directional launch weapon has not existed and thus the need for such stabilizing means has also not existed.

The two dimensional truncated spike nozzle of the invention provides a high thrust in a small thruster having a configuration compatible with the shape of the lenticular vehicle. A two dimensional truncated spike nozzle has not been employed in the past.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides attack aircraft with a protective weapon capable of omni-directional launch. The weapon is lenticular shaped and carries a warhead in the center. The guidance for the weapon is obtained through the control of an infrared, electro-optical or radar seeker. Propulsion is provided by a rocket motor with a two dimensional truncated spike nozzle. Control at launch is provided by a plurality of flexible expandable panels located on the top and bottom of the lenticular body. Upon launch, the leeward panels are expanded to provide initial aerodynamic stability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view taken in the direction of arrows II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken in the direction of arrows "-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the weapon; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the weapon attached to a launcher.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The weapon system employs a vehicle enclosed in a lenticular housing 12 which carries in the center a warhead casing 14 filled with explosive material 58. Control for vehicle 10 is obtained through the control of an infrared, electro-optical (television) or radar seeker 18, as the situation dictates, looking through a window 20. Propulsion is provided axially by rocket inflated or otherwise activated to establish initial aerodynamic stability.

The two fuel reactants are forced out of chambers 24 and 24 by introduction of pressurized gas from the MGG between bladders 23, 23.

The generally disc shaped warhead explosive material 58 lies in the center of the weapon. The circumferential surface 15 of the warhead is concave while the top and bottom surfaces 62 of the warhead are recessed. The warhead casing 14 encloses the warhead and has the same shape as the warhead. This warhead configuration provides a mass focusing effect in directions perpendicular to and outward from the generally flat surfaces 62 and in all outward radial directions, i.e. away from surface 15.

Seeker 18 which is locked on the target at launch provides control signals via guidance electronics, not shown, to guide the weapon by means of command signals to the pitch, yaw and roll thrusters (32, 32; 34, 34; 36, 36) to maintain a course to intercept the target.

During flight, yaw control is maintained by thrusters 32, 32, pitch and roll control is maintained by cross coupled thrusters 34, 34' and 36, 36. Space 40 provides room for guidance electronics and includes power supply 42.

Slots 50 (FIG. 3) provide means for attaching the weapon to launcher 52 (FIG. 4) in a well known slot and tab arrangement. An electric motor 54 or the like provides means for rotating launcher 52 with respect to aircraft wing 56.

In operation, seeker 18 locks onto the target and is able to follow the target as launcher 52 rotates. Prior to launch of the weapon, expandable panels 30 on the top and bottom of the weapon are inflated to the lee of the relative wind velocity.

What is claimed is:

l. A protective weapon for launching from an aircraft, comprising:

a lenticular shaped body;

a rocket motor in said body for propelling said weapon;

a nozzle positioned on the rim of said body communicating with said rocket motor and structually arranged to conform with the external contour of said body;

an electronic seeker mounted in said body for locking on and guiding said weapon to a target;

a plurality of rocket thrusters controlled by said seeker to exhaust gases through spaced ports on said body for controlling the flight attitude of said weapon;

plurality of symetrically spaced aerodynamic means arranged on the top and bottom surfaces of said body for altering the surface area of said body by predetermined actuation for providing initial aerodynamic stability of said weapon upon launching.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said rocket motor comprises a two dimensional truncated spike nozzle.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic means comprises inflatable panels.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said panels are located adjacent the axis of said body on the convex surfaces of said body.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said panels are to the axis of said charge. evenly spaced about an axis running perpendicular to k 8, The weapon as recited in claim 1 including addi- Sald areastionally a fuel tank comprising;

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising: means for omni-directionally launching said weapon 5 without maneuvering the aircraft carrying said of Said Charge; weapon.

The Weapon as recited in claim 1 including addi bladder means positioned inside said annular fuel tionauy a warhead comprising; chamber for providing a constant pressured fuel a disc shaped explosive charge having a concave cir- 0 supply to sald mQtOT and P g f i l surface i h h top d bottom stant volume of fuel distributed throughout said anfaces recessed at the center for forming an explonular fuel Chamber. sive blast that radiates outwardly in a path normal an annular fuel chamber having its inner convex surface adjacent the concave circumferential surface 

1. A protective weapon for launching from an aircraft, comprising: a lenticular shaped body; a rocket motor in said body for propelling said weapon; a nozzle positioned on the rim of said body communicating with said rocket motor and structually arranged to conform with the external contour of said body; an electronic seeker mounted in said body for locking on and guiding said weapon to a target; a plurality of rocket thrusters controlled by said seeker to exhaust gases through spaced ports on said body for controlling the flight attitude of said weapon; plurality of symetrically spaced aerodynamic means arranged on the top and bottom surfaces of said body for altering the surface area of said body by predetermined actuation for providing initial aerodynamic stability of said weapon upon launching.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said rocket motor comprises a two dimensional truncated spike nozzle.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said aerodynamic means comprises inflatable panels.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said panels are located adjacent the axis of said body on the convex surfaces of said body.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said panels are evenly spaced about an axis running perpendicular to said areas.
 6. The device of claim 1 further comprising: means for omni-directionally launching said weapon without maneuvering the aircraft carrying said weapon.
 7. The weapon as recited in claim 1 including additionally a warhead comprising; a disc shaped explosive charge having a concave circumferential surface with the top and bottom surfaces recessed at the center for forming an explosive blast that radiates outwardly in a path normal to the axis of said charge.
 8. The weapon as recited in claim 1 including additionally a fuel tank comprising; an annular fuel chamber having its inner convex surface adjacent the concave circumferential surface of said charge; bladder means positioned inside said annular fuel chamber for providing a Constant pressured fuel supply to said rocket motor and providing a constant volume of fuel distributed throughout said annular fuel chamber. 